Pets, such as dogs and cats, are known to bite, scratch, gnaw, lick and chew upon objects, particularly items such as natural bones or other objects such shoes, furniture and other household items causing unwanted damage to these items. As an answer to this problem, the pet industry has developed natural and synthetic chew toys which are manufactured in various shapes and sizes for dogs and other pets to chew on.
Some pets like to chew on hard materials such as bones and wood. However, such hard materials can break the pet's teeth or cause splinters which can affect the digestive track. Very young and old pets that may not have strong teeth prefer to chew on softer toys made from plastic, rubber or other elastomers. Although these toys are long lasting and durable, they fail to hold the pet's interest for long owing to the lack of flavor or texture.
Chew toys molded from consumable material such as chicken, meat, fish, natural grains etc. have gained popularity among pet lovers in recent years. Some of the edible chews, however, can be consumed very quickly and therefore fail to hold the pet's interest for long.
Attempts have also been made to develop toys that attract pets, such as providing toys in the various shapes and sizes so as to allow the pets to hold, pick, chew or even play with them, thus providing a means for maintaining interest in the toy. However, some of these pet chew toys can be easily swallowed and can be a choking hazard or even cause bowel obstruction in pets. Some of the chew toys available in the market tout benefits such as serving to distract the pet from chewing on other objects or to clean the teeth of pets, providing for dental hygiene and resulting in better breath.
While the above developments contribute to the art of providing pet chew products, there is still a need for improvement. The present invention thus contemplates a safe, palatable and long-lasting chew product which combines the art of chew products and toys and provides a pet chew product having improved design and functional characteristics.